


Panthera Pardus

by AlexiaBlackbriar13



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Oliver is a Shapeshifter, Panther Shapeshifter, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 23:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11172117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexiaBlackbriar13/pseuds/AlexiaBlackbriar13
Summary: A low rumble escaping the panther’s chest, he darted back into the thickets to where he had stored his weapons for safe keeping whilst hunting. As the leaves and twigs snapped and dragged at his short black pelt, the fur melted away into human skin, and within seconds, the magnificent creature was no longer standing on four paws, but instead on two legs.Oliver returns to Starling City human, but not completely. There's a wild cat inside of him, and the beast is on the prowl.





	Panthera Pardus

**Author's Note:**

> Below is a segment of the beginning of the Arrow AU ‘verse where Oliver has the ability to shape shift into a panther. After I finish puppy!Oliver, this is one of the options for a new WIP fic I would start or a new ‘verse I would fill with oneshots.
> 
> After reading, if you would be so kind as to inform me of your opinions regarding this option, and the fic premise itself, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
> 
>  
> 
> **For now, this shall stand as a completed one-shot until I've decided whether or not to continue it after finishing one of my WIP fics.**

**Scientific Log, Crew Member 21**

**DAY 1**

_Been three days since arrived on east shoreline of Lian Yu. Captain dropped anchor mile offshore, sent research scientist group with scouts to set up on beach. Seems perfect for research - deserted, no surveillance - nobody to be aware of our illegal activities. Research deemed illegal by United Nations - experimental animal gene splicing into humans not deemed safe nor suitable. Chinese government willing to compromise - gave us permission to use prisoners on Lian Yu if agreed to share profits from successful experimentations - hand over successful subjects to be tested, used as weapons. Waiting for further orders, further progress._

**DAY 4**

_Become aware of possible inhabitants on Lian Yu. Captain certain they’re camped not far from research and scout teams position. Wants to take a team, find and capture, bring them in as subjects. Progress so far - successful removal of genes from animals, serum created to inject. Test subjects vitally needed._

**DAY 7**

_Confirmed inhabitants on Lian Yu. Scout team discovered crashed plane wreckage that showed signs of living. Warm embers of fires. Recently snapped foliage. Captain determined to track and capture. All efforts put into hunting down of inhabitants in hope they will become test subjects._

**DAY 13**

_Test subjects captured. Two males, one female. Subject 1, said name Oliver Queen, late twenties, has extensive scarring from torture, said shipwrecked on Lian Yu last year. Subject 2, name Slade Wilson, claimed ASIS connections, Captain further researching, skilled in combat. Subject 3, female, name Shado, no last name given, does not speak much, also skilled in combat. Refusing to offer information. Captain wanted torture for information on possible more inhabitants, however scientists want subjects in prime condition for experiments. Testing and experimentation will proceed tomorrow._

**DAY 14**

_Genes successfully spliced into subjects. Lead of experimentation wants at the moment to focus mainly on splicing feline Panthera genes into captured subjects. Subject 1 received Panthera Pardus, common Chinese leopard; Subject 2 received Panthera Tigris, Siberian tiger; Subject 3 received Panthera Neofelis, native clouded leopard. Though subjects put up resistance, experiments carried out with success. Awaiting results._

**DAY 15**

_Subjects behaving strangely, adverse reactions. Different. Subject 1 sweating excessively, projecting symptoms of flu. Subject 2 fallen into deep sleep, cannot be woken, suspected short hibernation? Subject 3 not moving, vomiting, high fever. Can only treat symptoms and hope for their survival._

**DAY 16**

_Subjects illness improving. Beginning to act strangely. Pacing of cells, not eating nor sleeping, aggressive attitudes towards staff and crew. DNA results to arrive in two days._

**DAY 18**

_DNA results come in. All three subjects adopted spliced genes. All subjects now remain 58% human, 42% spliced gene. Testing will proceed._

**DAY 21**

_Testing results proved conclusive. Subjects senses heightened to that of spliced gene species, adopting characteristics emotionally and intellectually of spliced gene species; e.g. Subject 1 when approached growls and snarls. All have enhanced stamina, immunity, senses, strength, speed. Testing will continue. Results very promising._

**DAY 23**

_Subjects’ first transformations. Forced with concentrated formula injection of adrenaline. Subject 1 strangely adopted melanic gene of leopard. Subject 2 larger than average. Subject 3 slim, not much muscle. Extremely pleased with efforts. Transformations were smooth, uncomplicated, full. Very promising!_

**DAY 25**

_Subjects escaped. Half crew dead. Scout team missing. Aborting mission._

**DAY 26**

_Transport off Lian Yu exploded. No escape route. All experimental serums, research, data collected about subjects destroyed and lost. Emergency._

**DAY 27**

_Last group of survivors swam out to sea. Picked up by fishing vessel. All agreed. Not speak of experiments. Agreed to use new identities, destroy any and all evidence of scientific research trip. Subjects remain trapped on Lian Yu. Only hope they do not survive or escape._

* * *

A sleek black head snapped up from where a delicate pink tongue was lapping at the calm waters of a lone stream deep within the dense rainforest vegetation. Both ears pricked and swivelled, catching the distant sound, alert and to attention, and within seconds, tensed muscles responded. 

The panther sprung across the stream gracefully and raced through the jungle foliage, leaping over fallen trees with ease and expertly navigating through the dark undergrowth. With a massive jump, powered by powerful hind legs, the panther launched itself onto the branch of a tree and the cat quickly clambered up to the highest point, sharp dagger-like claws slicing effortlessly into the bark, dark blue eyes darting about the horizon.

There, in the distance, a small fishing vessel, only a click offshore from the hellish island. The panther raised his head and unleashed a loud yowl into the forest that echoed off the land before it leapt down out of the tree, landing skilfully on all fours before streaking towards a vantage point.

The island ferns and bramble branches lashed at the panther’s legs as his paws thudded on the hardened, cracked ground. It had not rained on Lian Yu for nearly a month now, and due to that, prey had been scarce. The panther had hardly eaten nor drank fresh water for weeks, instead having to rely on the small range of edible plants and tiny water springs up in the mountains. The chance of rescue, in the form of a fishing vessel, was surely a miracle. Skidding to a halt at the top of one of the sea cliffs, the weathered rocks crumbling under the great cat’s paws, his nose twitched madly as his glowing blue eyes, filled with determination and courage and strength, settled on the small ship off shore.

A low rumble escaping the panther’s chest, he darted back into the thickets to where he had stored his weapons for safe keeping whilst hunting. As the leaves and twigs snapped and dragged at his short black pelt, the fur melted away into human skin, and within seconds, the magnificent creature was no longer standing on four paws, but instead on two legs. Torn and ruined old clothing covered him, and there was not an inch of skin that was clean. Hair had grown from, well, nearly everywhere. Even in human form, the man still loped like his panther form, his senses wired and sharp eyes darting about, hands almost trembling in his excitement as he thought of going home, escaping the hell island and being able to _live_ again.

He snatched his bow and quiver from his hiding place, and quickly traversed back up the cliff, until he rocked back on his heels and carefully drew an arrow, the motion effortless as his muscles rippled, toned and hardened by months, years really, of surviving on a barren scrap of land with barely any prey for a panther to hunt. Striking flint down onto the arrow head, it sparked and lit, the flame flickering and causing the man to cringe back in fear. Men utilised fire and used it as a weapon, but animals… all animals were afraid of fire. And he was more animal than human at this point. 

The arrow was released, and it flew. The man watched with keen eyes as it struck the pre-prepared pile of tinder and wood on the beach, and as the signal fire burst into life, and great grey buffets of smoke rose into the sky, he felt, for the first time in years, relief. The fishing vessel was beginning to turn and head towards the beach, having spotted the signal. 

Gripping his bow tightly in one hand and drawing the green, threadbare hood pooled at his neck over his head, the man shadowed his sunken face that was adorned with hard lines of stress from years of anger and pain and fear and paranoia. He was slightly unsteady on two legs, having been used to running on four paws for the longest length of time, but he managed to hurry down from the cliffs and get himself onto the beach, so he arrived just as the babbling and anxious Chinese fisherman stepped onto the dull sand.

At first, he was wary, a low snarl at the back of his throat. For so long, he had associated human touch with agony and pain. He couldn’t remember the last time a human being had touched him and not hurt him. But the fisherman just stared at him in shock, stock still and not making any sudden movements, and the panther settled inside of him. Lifting his head, the man stepped forwards.

“ _My name is Oliver Queen,”_ he croaked in Mandarin, his voice sore and rough from disuse. “ _I’ve been shipwrecked on this island for five years. I need to go home, to the USA. Please take me to Hong Kong, to the US embassy.”_

The Chinese men nodded, muttering to him that he was safe now, that he was being rescued, they would take him to where he wished to go, and soon the man who was also a panther was standing on the stern of the fishing boat, gazing with glazed over eyes as the island of Lian Yu grew smaller and smaller in the distance as they sailed out to sea, towards the mainland. It was uncomfortable, being in his human skin, after so long as a panther, but he would cope. He would have to cope. He had a long few days ahead of him, but soon, he would be back in Starling City. With his friends. With his family.

Oliver Queen was going home.

* * *

It was loud. Too loud. Too many people, too much equipment, too much around him, keeping him trapped there, walls confining him. Everything pristine and white and smelling harshly of chemicals and disinfectant.

It reminded him of the Room. The Room where he had been stripped down of his humanity and built back up as if he was a wild animal, a lethal creature preparing to pounce.

There were so many bright lights, pulsating and flickering and tearing through his mind. It was painful. But Oliver couldn't help staring down at the city below him.

He was finally home.

His ears twitched and he turned his head a fraction to the side, inhaling shallowly. A new person. The doctor man was talking to her outside the door. Hushed voices, hoping not to disturb, alarm. But he heard them clearly.

_Extensive scar tissue._

_Second-third degree burns across his back. Hasn't spoken._

_Flinches when touched._

Then the door slowly opened and a broken voice whispered, "Oliver?"

That was his name. New person - threat/target? Ally/enemy? He turned, hands clasped and tilted his head slightly, inhaling again and the sharp scent of warm-mother-safe filled his nostrils. For the first time, in a long time, he smiled.

"Mom."

* * *

He was returning to his territory. His territory that had been his home before the Island, before the rebuilding of himself. His mother spoke constantly, causing a ringing in his oversensitive ears, but then the doors were open and the smell of _mahogany-tea-family_ hit him and drew him inwards like hypnosis.

"Your room is exactly as you left it. I never had the heart to change a thing."

Oliver's head whipped around to face a new person approaching them. _Threat/target? Ally/enemy?_ He stared and inhaled the man's scent, and it smelt familiar.

"Oliver. It's damn good to see you."

Oliver narrowed his eyes. He couldn't place the face. He shifted his stance slightly, unsure whether or not it should have been defensive or offensive.

"It's Walter..." The man offered. He reached a hand forwards, probably to shake Oliver's. "Walter Steele."

Oliver looked at the hand, half of his mind telling him _it's-a-trap-no-don't-shake-it!_ and the other half reassuring _safe-not-threat-friend_. He made a small chirping noise, fixing bright eyes on Walter, but didn't shake his hand.

"You remember Walter, your father's friend from the company," Moira said, putting a hand on Oliver's arm. She looked worried.

He flinched away, another memory coming to mind, of forceful touches and needles and knives. Moira looked shocked, then upset and hurt. He didn't miss the looks that she and Walter exchanged sadly. Then, his ears twitched at a faint noise; he looked up. Another woman. This time - _Russian-cake-ally_ \- he gave a small smile and slunk forwards. "It's good to see you, Raisa."

The maid gave a smile and gripped one of his hands tightly. He expected coldness, and the sting of pain, but instead it held a welcoming warmth. "Welcome home, Mr. Oliver." And her voice was as quiet and gentle as he had remembered, not grating in his sensitive ears like the other. "Mr. Merlyn phoned. He wants to join you for dinner." 

The name registered positively, and a smile quirked his lips for a moment. The panther seemed distinctly satisfied, muttering _Tommy-trusted- friend_. Distracted by yet another scent, Oliver just gave a dismissive nod and wandered to the bottom of the staircase, sniffing and taking carefully measured steps.

"Wonderful," Moira beamed. When he didn't reply, she said concernedly, "Oliver? Did you hear that?"

A door opened and closed. A young woman, a teenager, appeared at the top of the stairs and stood there with a massive grin of shock and relief. Oliver gave another quiet chirp of excitement. _Sister! Sister!_

"Hey, sis," he greeted, grinning, feeling an overwhelming happiness as the panther preened and yelped excitedly inside of him at the sight of his kin.

Thea gave a choked laugh and bounded down the stairs, with all the strength of a lioness. "I knew it. I knew you were alive!" She flung her arms around his neck and Oliver stiffened, immediately expecting an attack of some sort, but soon relaxed into it. Her scent was wonderfully familiar, and it was one he had sorely missed. "I missed you so much," Thea murmured into his neck.

"You were with me the whole time."

* * *

Dinner was probably one of the most awkward situations Oliver had ever been in. Tommy was chattering away, and he listened absentmindedly, but in reality, he was focused on watching the subtle interactions between his mother and Walter, eyes narrowed and occasionally sniffing to catch a scent.

He couldn't turn it off. The panther part of him, the part that constantly assessed for danger and for threats and enemies. It wouldn't shut down.

He couldn't eat the food. He was so used to eating so little on the Island that after the food they had forced down his throat at the hospital, he didn't think he would be able to eat for a week.

And then there was his mother and Walter. Oliver couldn't mistake the scent of Walter all over Moira, as if he had claimed her. And Thea kept on shooting them little nervous looks when they brushed hands or began to smile too much. 

"What was it like there?" Thea questioned. Oliver turned to her and inhaled. _Curious?_ He blinked at her, swallowing. I _t was Hell. It was pain and horror and nothing you could ever imagine._

_That Island... It changed me in ways you'd never comprehend._

"Cold," he responded shortly.

Dinner went downhill from there. 

* * *

His room was too cramped. He couldn't sleep on the bed, and he couldn't sleep without the window open. Restless, Oliver tossed and turned on the floor, finding comfort in the spray of rain in his face and the harsh wind; he had gotten used to sleeping for only a few hours on the Island, sometimes going without sleep for days, and he needed the elements surrounding him to calm him. 

His body wasn't used to falling into such a deep state of unconsciousness. He was plagued by nightmares of the black sea tearing at his clothes and soaking him through, the flashing lightning blinding him as he choked on salt water, the pounding thunder deafening his screams and pleads for help. 

And then it changed - suddenly, he was not half-drowning in a terrible storm, but he was tied down to a pristine white medical table and he was being stuck full of needles and cut open, blood pouring from the incisions made with the scalpel, and his form was tearing apart, a new animal burning its way into his spirit and soul as they injected and severed and remade him. He heard Slade and Shado screaming his name as agony overwhelmed him and he thrashed in pain.

_Oliver, wake up! Oliver! Wake up!_

Panther instincts leapt forwards, forcing him awake and he reacted instantly, flipping his attacker and shoving the flat side of a hardened hand to their throat in desperation and fear.

"OLIVER!"

This wasn't the Island. His eyes snapped upwards and met terrified, stunned ones in a gentle face, and he recoiled, scrambling away, the leopard rearing backwards until he could only feel it on the fringes of his mind. He crouched, panic-stricken and guilty, staring down at the sodden floor with haunted wide eyes.

Walter was helping Moira to her feet and Oliver choked out, his breathing heavily and uneven, "I'm sorry. I'm so - I'm _so sorry_."

Moira knelt, trying to get a little closer. Her scent of _warm-mother-safe_ wafted over his nose, but it wasn't reassuring, as it was also tinged with the scent of _fear-shock-scared_. "It's alright, sweetheart," she whispered. "You're home. You're home."

He had never felt so lost.

* * *

The next morning, he was faced with emerging from his hidey hole and explaining to his mother and Walter why he had vivid nightmares and sleeping troubles.

He dreaded even thinking about it.

Oliver had arranged to meet Tommy in the late morning. But that still left time for Moira to confront him about last night.

The family were silently eating breakfast in the dining room when he arrived in the doorway. There was an obvious negative mood, that made the panther inside of him twitch. Oliver gave an uneasy chitter, shuffling, but the noise was loud enough for Moira, Walter and Thea to hear.

"Morning, Ollie," Thea beamed, from around a mouthful of bacon. "God, it's so great to be able to say that again."

"Good morning." He sat down carefully, the scent of meat and fried food wafting over him, and he sniffed, hunger pooling at the bottom of his belly. As Oliver began serving himself bacon and toast, the hairs at the back of his neck tingled as in the corner of his eye, he spotted Moira and Walter exchanging unsure glances. "I have missed cooked breakfast," he said, forking some bacon into his mouth. He turned to Thea. "School today?" 

Thea rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately."

"I wouldn't have survived the island if I hadn't learnt to catalogue and examine the environment; building on knowledge and education is important," he said absentmindedly, repeating the words he remembered Shado once had said, as the panther inside licked his lips at the taste of meat on his tongue. It was heavenly.

There was silence. He looked up. All three of them were staring at him in shock.

Thea laughed. "Who are you and what have you done with Oliver Jonas Queen?" She joked.

She blanched when Oliver simply swallowed his bacon, and looked down at his lap blankly. Oliver Jonas Queen died the moment he landed on that island. He suddenly felt uncertain. He had spoken about the island, and now felt slightly more _vulnerable_.

"Did you sleep well last night, Oliver?" Walter questioned blandly, but there was an underlying warning as his eyebrows shot up.

Oliver paused, his fork half-way to his mouth, and slowly placed his cutlery down on the table. When he raised his head, he unleashed a lethal glare at the man. Walter started in shock, looking fearful for a moment before he composed himself.

"Like a log, thank you," he gritted out, giving a painfully fake smile. 

Thea glanced between them all, as the three adults in the room all exchanged glowers and stares. "Why do I get the feeling I missed out on something?" she asked suspiciously.

Moira took a delicate bite of toast. Walter took a gulp of orange juice. Oliver grabbed three more slices of bacon.

"It's nothing, Speedy," Oliver reassured her shortly, after a moment.

Moira cleared her throat and ended up in a light coughing fit, drinking some water as Walter gently patted her on the back. Throughout it, Oliver had frozen and looked down at his hands.

"You okay, Mom? That's a real throaty cough you got there."

"You can thank your brother for that," Moira said sourly. Almost the instant after she said it, Moira's eyes snapped upwards in horror and she desperately tried, "Oliver, I didn't mean -"

But the damage had already been done. Oliver had lowered his guard, considering the fact that his family was _familiar-safe-comfort_ , but that comment had been like a sword thrust through his chest. He crumpled. The panther made a small injured noise, hurt flashing across his face, as well as guilt and shame. He rose silently and slunk from the room, metaphorical tail between his legs.

Luckily, Tommy provided escape. As he clambered into Tommy's car, once again donning his billionaire playboy mask, he closed his eyes and suppressed his emotions.

He had felt more connected to his family when he had been on the Island. Now, all he felt was isolated.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed. If you would be so kind as to inform me of your opinions regarding continuing this as a multi-chapter after completing one of my WIP fics, and the fic premise itself, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
> 
> Tumblr: @alexiablackbriar13  
> Twitter: @lexiblackbriar


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